Prevention and Prophylaxis

NICE recommend good hygiene practices and avoiding dehydration to reduce the risk of UTIs. They also highlight the need to manage dysfunctional elimination syndromes and constipation, as well as ensuring children who have had a UTI to have easy access to clean toilets and not delay voiding. [1]

Antibiotic prophylaxis in children used to be commonplace following a UTI. However, there is no strong evidence to support this routinely, and it carries increased risks of antimicrobial resistance and has an impact of patients’ quality of life. [9]

NICE now recommend that antibiotic prophylaxis only be started under specialist guidance, and when other management options have been unsuccessful. [9]